Gum massage device



Filed Oct. 15, 1937 Patented Aug. 19,"\1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oEFlcE 3,253,210 I GUM MASSAGE DEVICE Nicholas Psharis, Chicago, Ill. Application October 15, 1937, Serial No. 169,084

(Cl. 12S-62) 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a device for massaging the gums and more particularly to a more fully appear during the course and progress of the following specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tooth brush and massaging device constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 3-3 in Figure l.

Figures 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views of` alternative structures `made in accordance with the present invention.

Figure '7 is asecvtional elevation taken on th line 'I--l in Figure 6.` I

Figures 8, 9 and 10 are /perspective views of alternative structures made 'inaccordance with the present invention.

The various devices, which have been heretofore employed for cleansing the teeth and the surrounding vicinity of the oral cavity, have commonly been provided with bristles or projecting fingers. a scrubbing action, as opposed to a true massaging effect, and, even though the bristles or finv gers are made of` resilient material such as rubber or the like, their inherent flexibility results in a natural tendency for them to spread or flatten and prevent the necessary resilient pressure to permit any real utility. According to the present invention, a massaging device is provided which permits engagement of the gums adjacent the edge thereof withl a resilient but firm, flat pressure.

One form of device constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing in 'conjunction with the rnore or less conventional form of tooth brush which comprises a handle portion I0 and a gen- Devices of this nature normally exerty erally elongated, rectangular head portion I2 to which are xed the usual `mass of bristles III for brushing the teeth. The handle and head portions may becomposed of bone, Celluloid or any other suitable, relatively rigid material,

The massaging head I6 comprises a resilient unit applied tothe back of the tooth brush or, in other words, to the head portion I2 on the side opposite that to which the bristles are secured.

In the present preferred embodiment the massaging device comprises a rectangular block of rubber' or other resilient material I8 of slightly larger extent than the head portion I2 and having a face I9 adapted to reside against the head portion of the brush.` Downwardly projecting edge or flange portions 20 serve to engage the edges of thelhead I2 and may be provided at their lowerend, as viewed in Figure 3, with inwardly extending portions 22 to engage under the head.

The above described structure accordingly provides apocket designed to engage about the brush for holding` the massaging unit in operative position on th`e\head thereof, its natural resiliency permitting the# attachment to be slipped into place into operative position or removedas desired. f t l The upper surfacexgof the massaging unit is formed to vprovide a"longitudlnally extending groove 2l which has the effect of creating two=' separate, parallel, upstanding ridges 26 along the edge thereof.

front portion, lto `obviate the existence of any relatively sharp corners.

In use, alter brushing the teeth in the usual manner, the surface of the massaging devicecomprising the two ridges 26 may be placed `flatwise against the teeth and gums with the uppermost ridge 26 residing along the gum adjacent the line of demarcation between the teeth and gums. 1n this position the upper ridge 26 will engage the gums with a flat, firm pressure along a considerable length thereof and will accordingly tend to grasp the tissue and permit manipulation `readily in yall directions.

Moreover, due to the connguration shown, the ridge 2B, by the application of some pr-essiue, may

be actually distorted outwardly and sidewardly and will tend to actually engage under the gums.`

The alternative formi of device shown in Figure 4 is provided with a 5.3

tend generally longitudinally thereof and may The ridges may be suitably` rounded, both transversely and adjacent their ir of ridges, one on l either edge v0f the head of the brush, which cxas the previous-embodiment.` However. the ridges 28 ln this embodiment are interrupted by a plu-.-

rality of transverse' grooves 28 which serve to give the ridges aeserrated orl scallopedlongitudinalconlguration.` This. structure permits more uniformcontact with irregular gum surfaces with the result that the upstanding portions of the rib 38 tend to extend into,iandto follow, the indentationsin thergums. The embodiment disclosed inpFigure lI comprises downwardly projecting: edges 28 `providing a pocket or enclosure 32 forengagementxabout the head of the tooth brushand thisengagement may-be maintained by any suitable glue or.` cement.v

The embodiment' illustrateddn Figure 5-comprises a relatively narrowv block I8 of resilient massaging material of generally the same or less widthL thank the tooth brush .or aperture with which itis intended. to be employed. In this structure theL central, longitudinally extending rib is omittedsince the device in itself is relatively narrow, but the'upper surface is provided with a, series of transversegrooves or shallow portions 28 vproviding, aplurality of scallops or serrations 3ft-,which are employed for. the purpose and in the manner disclosed in Figure 4. In this-form of vdevicethe'enclosing or pocket formation for engagingthe head of the applicator is omitted and-the resilient block I8 is secured thereto by a layer of glue or cement on the lowersurfacelM.;v

The embodimentwdisclosedA in Figure 7 comprises arelatively solid block of rubber I 8,' thel gitudinally extending.y groove i 40 L similar in configuration to that disclosed inthe initial preferred embodiment isformed upon the side faces of the block I8 providing ridges 42 with which the gums may be massaged inthe manner previouslyindicatedawith the side faces of the device held flatwise against the. gums and the teeth. The indentations 38` assist in providing the necessary resiliency-for. the'ridges 42.

In the yet further'preferredstructure shown lnfFigure 8, the relatively rigid-handle portion Ill'of the4v brush' is extended to provide an integral head havingsa,relativelyrlgld.central portion 44l and an outwardly projecting, resilient edge portion 46;? The rigid-A portion 44a-of the head,.as in the previous embodiments, serves to mount andsupport the bristles I4. The' resilient projectingedge portionr461extends outwardly a considerable-distance from the portion 44y and may be given azserratedlor I.scalloped configuration,` by the vertically extending grooves or indentations `48iinzordery toassist in massaging in the manner hereinbefore described. The portion 48`may be constructed of` rubber, for example, or any other elastic ory resilient plastic material which maybe either cemented to the central portion 44 of the'headjor may be molded integrally therewith in variousknowniways.

The embodiment disclosed in Figure 9 comprises' a'relativelyrigidshead'portion 50 for supporting the bristles andl a resilient block 52 adjacenttheend.providedwith a longitudinally extending, central. groove 54' forming parallel, longitudinally extending ridges 56 similar in configuration toYthosedisclosedinF'igure l, but being of lesser longitudinalextent.

The'structure disclosed'iin-Figure 10 is-slmllar f to that showninFigure 8, but omits the indentatlonssand provides ridges 48 extending outwardly from. the side-portion of the head for a' considerable v`distance.

The present invention provides a novel form of massaging device in which a substantial portion of the gums may be engaged and manipulated in the proper manner in order to stimulate circulation and promote the general healthfulness of the oral, cavity. The action provided in devices made in accordancewith the present in* vention is that of truemassaging as compared with a brushingor other improvised action and results from the relatively fiat, even pressure and adherence of the resilient massaging device to the portions of thegums just adjacent their edge where stimulation is known to be important.

While rubber in general may be used to provide the ridge portions, nevertheless it will be apparent that any suitable resilient and elastic plastic material may bev employed.

Specifically Athe use of sponge rubber free from grit has been found preferable while the surfaces of the unit so formed may, if desired, be provided with a uniform coat of latex in the interest of impermeability.

Moreover, although the device is particularly useful in connection with a tooth brush, it may be employed separately upon other applicators or as aflnger cot or stall. When used in the preferred manner insconjunction with a tooth brush, the movement thereof` for massaging will be much the same asthe usual movement of the v brush in cleansing, thus expediting and simplify ing the operation.

Byjthe term rubber as used in the present specification and claims is meant yieldable or soft rubber both'in natural andarticial form.

It is thought thatv the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is obvious that numerous changes maybe made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit` or scope ofthe invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the form herein described being a preferred embodiment for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A massaging unit. comprisingv a relativelyV rigid applicator having a nat rectangular head portion with generally parallel, longitudinally extending lateral margins, a yieldable rubber massaging member s'ecured1to said head and providing a pair of ridges disposed longitudinally of said lateral side margins along a substantial length thereof, said ridges extending from said margins and being of substantially 'the same elevation throughout their lengths, their crests being substantially continuous and unbroken.

2. A yunit as defined in claim l wherein said ridges are substantially parallel for a substantial longitudinal distance and have end portions adjacent one extremity of the rectangular head portion which converge toward each other.

3. A unit as defined in claim l wherein said ridges havean elevation not substantially greater than half their mean lateral width to provide a firm, resilient .gum engaging edge supported by said rigid head iportion. v

NICHOLAS PSIHARIS. 

